


Human

by Arel_Rhink



Series: Merman [3]
Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-08-29 18:52:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8501365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: Rhett goes on a search of his own to reunite with Link.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> STOP RIGHT HERE!  
> This fic is a sequel of my fic Merman. Before you read Human, please read Merman first. Thank you :D

"He'll come back for me," Rhett whispered to himself. It had become a daily mantra after months of waiting for his beloved human. His skin crinkled under the sun. Its hue had become lighter and browner. His tail was barely moveable.

But none of that was of Rhett's concern.

He'd heard the stories plenty of times over the centuries. They'd been used to terrorize merfolk for generations. "Those who lost themselves to the rays of the sun would be lost for eternity."

But Rhett didn't care. He told himself that if he and Link were to come together again, he should wait for him under the sun. He had waited on a tall boulder off the shore of Rockaway Beach, resting on the far side, but still able to see the chocolate sand without being noticed. He had remained there weeks upon weeks upon weeks. Three months had he lied on that rock without much of a couple drops of rain to keep him hydrated.

Three months was all it took before the bright sun seemed to fade. The colors around him all turned to grey. The shapes became shadows until everything had gone black.

No one saw the crinkled merman collapse on the boulder. They enjoyed the beach without a single clue that somewhere beyond those rocks was a mythical creature passed out in anguish.

It wasn't until a week or so later, when Rhett eventually toppled off the rocks and was awakened by the splash of the salty sea. A whistle sang its siren through the skies, and before Rhett knew it, something was pulling him closer to shore.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me?" called a strange voice. Rhett's blurred vision and ringing ears kept him from understanding what was going on. The voice asked again, "Can you nod your head if you can hear me?" Rhett carefully nodded, able to hear a little bit better. He rested on a floating device, letting himself be carried to the beach.

The other beach-goers averted their children's eyes as Rhett was aided to his feet. His bare body quivered at the sudden chill of the air. The lifeguard wrapped a towel around Rhett's waist, and then talked him through every wobbly, uncertain step as a couple beach officers ran over to help.

"Where's your family, son?" an officer asked, holding Rhett up by one of his shoulders. Rhett only shook his head, still dizzy from the commotion.

"You have a name?" another asked, patting Rhett's back gently.

"R... Rhett..."

"Okay, Rhett. We're gonna take you to the office over here. We'll help you."

"Help...?"

The world quickly went black again.


	2. Chapter 2

Rhett's eyes fluttered open to find himself lying down on his back - not typically a comfortable position for what he's used to. His vision took a while to clear up as he tried to take in his surroundings. He felt... strange. The heat warming his body didn't feel repulsive, but instead felt welcomed, as it kept him calm and comfortable. He lifted himself up, halfway to a sitting position. The maneuver was a lot easier to accomplish than it ever was. His body felt lighter in weight, and it worried him a bit. As if hearing his thoughts, his stomach growled loudly, echoing its pleas through the room.

"Sounds like someone's hungry," called a nearby voice. Rhett turned to see a young woman with long, blonde hair. Terrified, Rhett sprung up and snarled at the strange human. She jumped back, startled at the man's behavior.

"Stay back!!" Rhett hissed, baring his teeth.

"Sir! Are you all right?" the woman asked, trying her best to keep the situation calm. "I'm not gonna hurt you." The woman slowly reached for him, and Rhett leaped away on the bed, smacking a leg against the cold, hard wall. Rhett yelped in pain, and then curled in a ball to investigate the spot. For a sudden moment, his breathing halted. Instead of seeing his long, green tail he was used to seeing, he saw tanned, boney legs.

"What..." he gasped, marveling at his new appendages as he moved them independently. He petted the small, light hairs that decorated his legs, enjoying the slight ticklish sensation it gave him. The further he looked down his legs, the more excited he got - especially when he noticed the weird-shaped things at the bottom. "Feet!" Rhett chirped. He scrambled to grab one of them, and then squirmed at how easily tickled they were. He focused his eyes on those tiny little feet fingers, and then cried merrily when he got them to wiggle.

"Umm... sir?" the woman asked. Rhett turned to see her gaping at him with furrowed brows. "Is everything okay?"

"Link!" Rhett squeaked.

"Huh?"

"I can see him! I can see my Link again!!" Rhett shouted as he bounced gleefully on the bed. "Have you seen him? Where can I find him?!" The woman's eyes shot all over the room looking for an answer. Thankfully, someone else entered the room.

"Oh, good! He's awake!" chirped a voice Rhett found familiar. He remembered those tanned arms and red shorts, though they had been wet last he recalled. They clearly had been drying since then. The man pranced over and sat beside Rhett on the bed. "Do you remember me?" the man asked. Rhett grimaced in return, taking in the stranger's appearance as he moved back a bit.

"I'm not... uh..." Rhett tried to form a coherent sentence, but he was too confused to process what was going on.

"It's okay. You passed out on the beach earlier. I'm Kevin, the lifeguard from this morning. You said your name is... Rhett, right?" Rhett blinked rapidly in disbelief, wondering how this human figured out his name. "You took quite some fall out there," Kevin continued. "What were you doing on those rocks anyway?"

"I..." Rhett paused. "I was waiting..."

"Waiting?" asked Kevin. He gestured for the woman, and whispered in her ear. She promptly went for the door, scuffling her feet against the tiles while doing so. Kevin turned back to Rhett. "What were you waiting for?" he asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

"Link," Rhett mumbled. The name rolled off his tongue so delicately as if saying his name aloud might break something in the room.

"Link?"

"It's very important that I come back to him," Rhett replied softly. "I need to know if he's okay." Rhett sighed. "I haven't seen him in so long..."

The door opened again, and the woman reentered the room. A short, somewhat chubby police officer followed behind her. Kevin grabbed Rhett's shoulder, claiming his attention once more.

"We may be able to help you find him soon, Rhett. But first, we'd like to ask you a couple more questions if that's all right." Rhett's eyes widened in worry at the uniformed officer, recalling his past experiences with other people who looked like him.

"Don't be scared, son. We're all here to help you," the officer chimed once he saw the fear written all over Rhett's traumatized face. He held his hand out to the shaking man, who just stared at it like it could kill him at any second. "Name's Carl. Nice to meet you, Rhett." The officer smiled, silently telling Rhett that he was friendly.

Rhett slowly took his hand out, copying Carl's position without actually touching him. Carl chuckled, and then took Rhett's hand to shake it. Rhett didn't seem to understand what he was doing, but it felt harmless. He looked back up and convinced himself to smile.

"Now Rhett," Kevin crooned, "Carl here is gonna bring you to his office outside. He'll help you."

"Can... he help me find Link?" Rhett chirped, his head perking up in hope.

"Without a doubt." Kevin patted Rhett's shoulder.

"Let's go," Carl directed, lifting himself from his seat. "You think you can walk?"

Rhett chortled. "Are you kidding?" Kevin then braced Rhett as he helped the incredibly tall man to his feet. Rhett's freckled legs wobbled underneath him. Carl braced Rhett on the side opposite of Kevin. With all that support, Rhett felt a little better about attempting to walk. He had seen Link walk, and even run, thousands of times. With Carl and Kevin helping him out, he figured it shouldn't be too hard.

They guided him step by step out onto the beach. Rhett gasped at the heat of the sand under his sensitive feet. The granular texture slightly tickled as he walked. The closer they got to the beach sentry office, Rhett's confidence in walking grew little by little. He took a glance at the sun, which shone rays of red and violet onto the dark sands of the beach. The surrounding clouds reflected in shades of orange. Rhett sighed at the sky's magnificent glory.

"Link would love this," he whispered to himself. "When I find him, we'll come back to see it together."

~*~

Meanwhile, in a small house Northwest of Rockaway Beach, a young man was home alone. Leaking beads of sweat, he threw himself onto the computer chair for seemingly the millionth time that day. He browsed the list of phone numbers his housemate had given him. Hundreds of them filled the page, and about half of them were crossed off. The man wiped his sweaty, calloused hands on his thighs as he mentally prepared himself for the next task in his daily routine. He grabbed the satellite phone from behind the computer monitor, and then dialed the first uncrossed number on his list. He took a large breath and held it until the dial tone ceased. He could tell someone picked up, but heard no voice.

"Chase?" he asked softly. He heard a quiet gasp on the other line.

"L... Link?"

"I'm glad you're okay, man," Link sighed in relief. "You don't know how hard it was to get a hold of you."

"You're lucky I picked up," Chase chuckled. "How's... _he_ doing?" Link's breath caught in his throat. He was silent for quite a while. "Link?" Chase asked, hoping his friend was still on the line.

"He's back home... where he belongs," Link finally choked out. He wiped his eyes before they filled up too quickly. "He should be safe now."

"Aw man... Well, at least he'll be okay. But what about you? How are you holding up? You don't sound too good."

"I'm okay, I guess. I've been laying low, working from home and such." Link tried to sound as vague as possible in case of anyone possibly listening into their conversation.

"Not what I mean," Chase corrected. "How are you doing now that, uh, he's gone?" Link's sigh was loud enough to be heard through the phone. This time he couldn't stop the tears from building up in his eyes.

"I miss him..." Link whimpered. "Gosh, I miss him so much."

"You think you'll ever see him again?"

"I hope so."


	3. Chapter 3

The officer pinched the bridge of his nose, and then rubbed it with a sigh. His feet shifted his swivel chair side to side. Kevin sat beside Rhett in a nearby chair, pressing his temples in frustration.

"Okay," Carl breathed, "We know your first name is Rhett..." Rhett nodded hastily. "So what's your last name?"

"I don't even know what that means," Rhett explained for the hundredth time. Carl growled in exasperation, then stopped himself with a sharp intake of breath.

"You're absolutely sure you don't have any more to your name?!" Carl asked once more. "You didn't forget, you said. You just don't have one??"

"Maybe we'll just skip the name for now, sir," suggested Kevin. Carl's shoulders dropped in defeat. With a forced smile, Carl decided to take Kevin's advice and continue.

"Okay..." he began. "So... Rhett... can you tell us your address?"

"What is that?" Carl threw his arms into the air, landing them onto his lap with a slam. Kevin hid a chuckle over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Carl sighed. He glanced at the wall clock, wondering how long they've been at this ridiculous charade. "It's, uh, been a long day... An address is where you live, Rhett. Like, what do people put on envelopes if they wanna mail you something?"

"Well..." Rhett started, "I guess I don't really live anywhere."

"What about that Link person you mentioned earlier? What relationship do you have with them?" Rhett perked up at the sound of his lover's name.

"Link!" he chirped.

"Yes. Who is he to you? Family? A friend?" Kevin asked. Rhett took a moment to really ponder.

"He's... probably the only family I have," Rhett replied. His eyes grew sullen realizing the truth of that statement. Now that he actually became human, he'd probably never see his real family ever again. He came to that realization once before, when he first got caught by the Facility, but at that point he still had hope. He had nearly forgotten his homesick woes the moment Link came into his life. He really was the only sense of home he had.

"That explains why you're so adamant about finding him then!" Kevin chirped. "Do you know where he is? We can bring you there if he's in the system."

Rhett found himself twiddling his toes at the very thought of seeing him soon. However, he could only recall one clue as to where he was.

"I think he said something like San Frant Crisco?" he thought aloud. The two men perked up.

"You mean San Francisco?" Kevin asked with a chuckle. Carl's eyebrows rose up high. Out of everything they've tried to pry out of this poor guy, they finally got a lead as to who he is and where he belongs.

"Can we look Link up in the system? Would someone with a name like that be hard to find?" Kevin asked Carl. He jumped out of his chair and rushed to the computer beside him to check.

"Whoa, man, now hold your horses," Carl warned. "This isn't some small town in Rhode Island we're talking about. It's San Francisco! We could put in the most obscure name and we'd probably find hundreds of 'em! We need more information."

"Well it can't hurt to try," Kevin enthused, typing away on the keyboard with a series of clickety clacks. The screen refreshed, and Carl and Kevin were both surprised to find absolutely no results on the first name Link. Carl looked to Rhett for an explanation.

"Is Link short for anything? Like Lincoln, perhaps?" he asked. Rhett shrugged in response, mentally cringing at the strange name. Kevin typed in the name, and hundreds of results filled the screen.

"We're gonna need more info," mumbled Kevin as he plopped back down beside Rhett. "Rhett? If we're gonna help you find him, we need to know every bit of information you can give us."

"The last time you saw him... is there anything you remember that could be useful in finding him?" Carl asked, his voice low and calm.

Rhett remembered not being conscious for most of the way to that beach, but he did recall a couple things about the stranger Link said he'd be staying with. He didn't know her name, but he remembered her face and attitude. She seemed rough on the outside, but clearly had a softness on the inside since she offered to hide Link for a while. He might still be with her for all Rhett knew. He then thought back further and remembered Link helping him climb into her vessel. It was huge, and its dark grey color shined pleasantly under the sun. He recalled a strange white slate of some sort with large symbols on it. He knew it was some kind of human writing, but he couldn't read it. They were so interesting to him that he could remember what the symbols looked like.

"He's staying with someone," Rhett finally replied. "She had a large wheeled vessel with writing on the back!"

"What do you mean?" Carl asked as Rhett rushed to grab a pen and sticky note from Carl's desk. Almost falling over, Rhett caught himself and braced against the edge of the desk as he scrawled the symbols onto the sticky note as best as he could. He gave the note to Carl, who examined it with a furrowed brow.

"This looks like it could be a license plate number," he said with a smile. "Now this... This I can work with." Rhett smiled as he wiggled back in his seat. "Your handwriting's kind of a mess though, and some letters are hard to read. Can you tell me what some of these are?"

"Sorry... I... can't read?" Rhett replied, not knowing what else to say. The two men stared quizzically at him, so he felt the need to further explain himself. "I don't know what the markings are or what they're called... I'm, uh, not from here."

"That's okay. We'll use every viable option and work our way down. Sound good?" Carl asked. Rhett nodded excitedly.

"Don't worry, Rhett. If anyone can find Link, Officer Carl can," Kevin whispered as he gently patted Rhett's back. Rhett looked up at him and smiled back.

"I sure hope so."


	4. Chapter 4

Rhett stumbled out of the back of the police cruiser, gripping the edge of the vehicle for dear life. Officer Carl stepped out and waddled over to help him stand.

"Still can't walk, huh?" Carl asked. "You must've been on that rock for quite some time if you still don't have your land legs." Rhett blushed in response, forcing out a nervous chuckle. Carl took a quick glance at the lot. The building was in a small suburban town just outside of the city. It was kind of small, yet humble and quite sturdy. A pile of chopped wood accumulated against the side of the house. It seemed like a lot of wood for someone to be stockpiling for the winter in Southern California, so whoever lived there must be selling it. Beside the pile was a barren driveway, but the garage was shut so there was still a possibility that someone would be home. "This place look familiar to you?"

"I've never been here before," Rhett answered, shaking his head, "but there's a lot of things I've never seen."

"You still wanna try?"

"Absolutely." Rhett moved forward, stepping carefully out of Carl's hold and toward the front door. Carl followed close behind. Just before Rhett made it to the porch, Carl stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me go first. People don't usually open their doors to strangers, but they'll open to a cop." Rhett obliged and stayed where he was. His back wobbled a bit as he attempted to keep his balance. He quickly concluded it was easier to stand than it was to walk.

Carl cleared his throat and straightened out the wrinkles in his uniform. Rhett mimicked his movements in curiosity. Carl reached forward, sticking a finger out as his hand it closer to a little square button beside the door. The faint chime from inside made Rhett jump up a bit, nearly knocking off his balance.

"This is the police," Carl announced. His booming voice no doubt had been heard from inside the strange domicile. The faint sound of slow footsteps echoed through the stained oak door. Suddenly, the lock inside clicked, and the door slowly creaked open - just a teeny bit.

"Can I... help you, officer?" asked a quiet voice from behind the door. It was sort of high-pitched and shaky... and even though Rhett had only been human for less than a day, he could tell there was something odd about the voice.

"We're looking for someone by the first name Link. You wouldn't happen to know if he lives somewhere around here?" Carl asked, still standing tall and strong.

There was a slight hesitation in the voice's answer. "Uh, no. Sorry," called the shaky voice.

Carl stepped closer to the door and leaned in to peek inside. The person behind the door quickly shut it before he could take a closer look. Carl rolled his eyes as he sighed. He knocked on the door, regaining the stranger's attention once more.

"I can't keep talking. I'm... I'm on the phone with a client," replied the voice. It sounded a lot less shaky and more stern. It almost sounded more familiar to Rhett, who took a careful step onto the porch beside Carl. "Sorry I can't help you in your pursuit."

"Wait!" chirped Rhett as he nearly fell forward. Carl leaped to the rescue, snatching the taller man's arm before he could hit the pavement. "Link?"

There was a moment of silence.

"N-No, I'm not who you're looking for!" the voice stammered. The falseness in his voice wavered enough for Rhett to notice through the door.

"Link, please!" Rhett cried, throwing himself against the door. Carl jumped back with his hands up. "It's me, Link!! Please don't be like this! I went through so much just to find you..." Rhett began sobbing against the door, and Carl was quick to comfort him with a couple pats on the back.

The door moved away from Rhett, and Carl helped him stand back up. Rhett watched intently as the door slowly opened, revealing a dark-haired man behind it. His skin was bronzed by the sun, but around his eyes were darkened with lack of sound sleep. He looked a lot like Link, but his hair swept upwards off his forehead, and he didn't have any glasses to frame his deep-set eyes. It could've been just someone who looked a lot like him, but the familiar twine necklace around his neck confirmed that he was exactly who Rhett was looking for... and it seemed like the other man realized it too, judging by the awestruck look in his oceanic eyes.

"R... Rhett?!" he whispered. His jaw dropped at the incredible sight of the man before him. His height in particular was quite a feat. His eyes, his stormy green eyes, gaped back at him with tears flooding his vision. Link's, too, were beginning to swell with tears and his chest was already heaving. Without further question, Link rushed for the taller man and threw his arms around Rhett's waist in a strangling embrace.

"I missed you so much..." Rhett whispered, squeezing Link tight against his chest.

"I missed you too... and I'm so happy you came to find me." Link kissed Rhett's chest before he stepped away a bit. Noticing the officer still there, Link blushed and backed away from Rhett even more. "I, uh, thank you, sir... for bringing him back to me."

"Sure thing," Carl said, tipping his hat to the nervous man. "Try not to lose your friend at any beaches in the future. He nearly drowned this morning."

"Drowned?!" Link gasped, reaching for Rhett's hand.

"Apparently he's not that great of a swimmer," Carl added. He frowned when the taller brunet chuckled in response.

"Whatever you say, sir," Link said, calming his composure as he nudged Rhett with his elbow.

"Take care," Carl said, tipping his cap before waddling back to his cruiser.

As soon as the car was no longer in sight, Link pulled Rhett inside the house. He pushed Rhett against the door, slamming it shut with the weight of his body, and then pulled Rhett's face down to kiss him with great fervor. Rhett was stunned at first, but then smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Link's lithe figure. Rhett realized quickly that they were getting too carried away, and pulled back from the kiss.

"What's wrong?" Link asked. His bright blue eyes begged for more, but Rhett was able to compose himself.

"I just... Am I...?"

"You're not venomous, Rhett. Not anymore," Link giggled, hugging the taller man tightly. "Your kisses won't hurt me. Don't worry."

"You sound so sure... but even I don't know what's changed about me." Rhett sulked as he pondered his not so obvious physical changes. Link looked him up and down, smiling at what he saw.

"Gosh, Rhett... how did this even happen?!" Link asked, amazed at the incredible sight of the human before him.

"Is it bad?" Rhett whimpered. "This form... I... feel more vulnerable. I don't feel like the same confident merman you once knew." Link wrapped his arms back around Rhett's torso and gently rocked them both side to side.

"You may not have fins anymore, but you're still the same beautiful, ambitious, strong-hearted man I fell in love with." Link looked up to see Rhett blushing. It felt almost strange to see his face flushing with red on tan instead of indigo on green. It was amazing to see just how different he looked, yet he still had the same memorable features. His hair still seemed to defy gravity, even through the messy saltwater waves he now sported... and his eyes remained the same seawater green. Link used to think he could drown in those eyes. Now he found himself already being swallowed deep into those whirlpools. Their shimmer beckoned him nearer like the glowing bait of an angler fish, and Rhett dove in to capture his prey in a lip-locking kiss. His long arms draped around Link's waist effortlessly, and Link purred at the touch. Slowly, they parted, and Link ran his hands up and down Rhett's torso.

"That tickles," Rhett giggled, squirming under Link's touch.

"Sorry," Link squeaked. "I was just thinking... I once thought about what you might've looked like as a human. Seems like my imagination wasn't too far off... except I never expected you to be so freaking tall!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Rhett asked, suddenly self-conscious again.

"No," Link laughed. "I'm just so used to looking down to talk to you, it's weird to have to look up." His smile proved to be contagious, as the little apples in Rhett's cheeks began to perk. "Besides, it's nice to be the shorter one in a relationship for once."

"What do you mean?" Rhett asked, his smile still glued to his face.

"Well, like I always wondered why past lovers I've had always liked to rest their head on my chest..." Link then laid his head against one of Rhett's soft pecs. "But it's like resting on a pillow... with a soothing heartbeat behind it."

"Can I try?" Rhett asked softly. Link nodded, leading the wobbly man to the couch. Rhett let Link lie down first, and then he gently maneuvered himself on top of him. He adjusted his position until his head easily rested on Link's chest. He quieted his breathing so he could hear the faint beating of Link's heart. His eyes drifted to a close as Link's hand found its way into Rhett's hair. He stroked the soft, light brown locks in time with Rhett's steady breathing until he was convinced Rhett had fallen asleep.

"Hey," Link whispered. "You awake, sleepy?" When he heard no answer, Link sighed with a shake of his head and a grin on his lips. He continued petting Rhett's hair, and threw his other arm over Rhett's back in a limp hug. "I'm so glad to have you back..."

It took him mere seconds to join Rhett in Dreamland, and Rhett snuggled closer in his subconscious state. His smile pressed against Link's chest as two words spilled from him.

"Me too."


End file.
